2D imaging portable data collection devices are used in manufacturing, service and packet delivery industries to perform a variety of data collection activities. Such devices are equipped with an illuminator, providing illumination for the target image, and with a separate aiming pattern generator, producing aiming patterns such as dots, cross-hairs, or corners.
Single dot patterns cannot indicate the effective field-of-view, while cross-hair and frame patterns produced by lasers raise the concern of laser radiation. Furthermore, to prevent the generated aiming pattern from interfering with the reading of the target image, the aiming pattern and the image illumination need to be alternately turned on and off. In addition, the above aiming patterns are often off the axis with the imaging lens, introducing imaging errors. A need exists for a 2D imaging data collection device which solves these problems.